I need some inspiration. What’s your favorite way to make broccoli that isn’t raw and isn’t Asian inspired? I always go to a stir fry but my kid will mutiny if I make another Asian dish. I’ve apparently overdone it recently.
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I love the channel Spain on a Fork. Here are a couple of Broccoli dishes (he has many more):
Garlic Broccoli:
Chickpeas and Broccoli:
ps: I always use broccoli stems - my favourite part. However, if in any recipe I wind up with ‘extra’ broccoli stems or broccoli, I chop coarsely, pulse in the food processor, and voila! broccoli ‘rice’. Whenever I make regular jeera rice, I add the broccoli rice after the initial jeera tarka, and saute for a minute or so. Then I add the regular white rice, saute another minute, then add water and salt and cook as normal. I am sure you could do this with brown rice too, though the cooking times would be very different.
There is no clear cut rule as to the ratio of broccoli to regular rice - it all depends on what you have and what final product you are going for.
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Boil in salted water . . I chop the stalks. Put them in for a minute and a half before the florets . Maybe two minutes more. When you begin to smell . Remove.
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You might want to wait for cooler weather, but I’m a big fan of the Broccoli Cheddar Soup on Smitten Kitchen.
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In pureed or processed form there are few more possibilities to enjoy this vegetable. You might need to add nuts/bread crumbs/cheese/spinach/peas/broad beans etc to give the puree more body or a (smoother) texture.
- Add to mash
- Frittata/muffins
- Pancakes
- Soup
- Sauce for pasta
- Dip/spread
- “Pesto”
One of my favourite vegs and I eat it every week. Have tried making many things but these days I like it best briefly steamed, eaten alongside cooked tomatoes (I cook the tomatoes first till almost done or soft enough, then add the broccoli or some cruciferous vegetable on top of the tomatoes and steam briefly.)
I eat steamed broccoli with various (dipping) sauces such as soy sauce, Lao Gan Ma, Mexican chillies, Korean fermented pastes, bagna cauda. With lots of raw garlic and chillies in the sauce are best, for me.
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I usually prepare broccoli Italian style.
Sauteed
Cut the broccoli into florets and parboil in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes. Drain. Heat a saute pan (frying pan), add olive oil and garlic and saute until fragrant, add the broccoli for a few minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Done.
Salad
Cut the broccoli into florets and parboil in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes. Drain (well). Put the broccoli in a bowl. Add any dressing which you will have made beforehand. I often do olive oil and white wine vinegar - in which some raw yellow onion has been marinated for 20 minutes.
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Cut into little florets and sautéed with other veggies like carrot pennies, onions, red bell peppers. Use whatever herb/spice seasoning you like.
Roasted with olive oil and s/p and tossed into a quiche. Not a side dish, but another way to use up excess broccoli. OR just roast the broccoli with herbs and spices and serve that way. Cheese sauce or maybe a tahini sauce or garlic alioli drizzled on top?
Use it as a topping on a homemade pizza (sausage and broccoli is one of my faves), or into a calzone.
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Roasted is my favorite - toss in olive oil and salt, then 450 for about 20 minutes. Once it’s brown and crispy, add parmesan or cheddar and roast a few more mins to melt, or dress with pesto, chimichurri, tahini sauce, preserved lemon aioli, etc.
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Huge fan of these two:
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I love it in mashed potatoes. Also with a kinda jammy caramelized onions in EVOO with bacon and mushrooms.
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Simply steamed then tossed in some lightly sauteed garlic in olive oil. A little Tony’s to season.
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My husband is a cheddar hater. Won’t touch it. Childhood trauma involving that cheese… 
I avoid it in my cooking, except for the occasional grilled cheese lunch when he has something different.
Thanks guys. A few new ideas, a few reminders of the pleasures of a simple preparation. I’ll probably go with an oven roasted or a sauteed with garlic and lemon this time. Feel free to keep adding for the next soul with lots of broc who has been forbidden from stir frying it with chicken 
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“Boring” but good — Roasted broccoli, pasta with broccoli and garlic (chicken optional), broccoli soup (good use for stems).
I also like Broccoli fritters / cakes / patties - SK has a version but I prefer potato to flour as the binder for both texture and flavor.
I’ve made a version of these broccoli melts, but with grated cheese mixed in rather a slice on top.
Also good in quiche (cook first) - I like it vegetable heavy with enough custard to bind.
Broccoli gratin (like cauliflower cheese) isn’t my thing but I have family members who love it.
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Broccoli Flan or Italian style Frittata (like little pancakes) Both can be flavored a multitude of ways and can be served at any Temp. (may be not frozen)
This gozleme is a huge hit in our household.
You could substitute regular broccoli for broccolini.
I wouldn’t substitute anything for the dry Marsala. In my view, its flavor is essential to the dish.
The blogger, with whom I’ve become friends, recommended substituting half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour. I really like them with half whole wheat flour; it adds flavor and the gozlemes brown better.
Chicken Divan may be an old recipe, but it’s a goodie.
Broccoli slaw. Buy it bagged or shred broccoli yourself, along with carrots and sweet onion. Use a coleslaw type dressing, or ANY dressing you like.
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This is certainly not stir-fry, and cannot really be considered Asian.
Can’t imagine your kids not liking this, even as the calendar turns to fall.
It’s a broccoli hot pocket? Nice!
